


Living Vessels

by Drachis917



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Broken Vessel is called Lost, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Greenpath Vessel is called White, Implied Sexual Content, Minor Character Death, Sibling Bonding, The Knight is called Ghost
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23345458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drachis917/pseuds/Drachis917
Summary: What if more than one vessel escaped the Void and survived? Who would they be? Who would find them? And most importantly, could they save the Hollow Knight from its fate?
Relationships: Broken Vessel | Lost Kin & Greenpath Vessel & The Knight, Broken Vessel | Lost Kin & Nailmaster Oro, Hornet & The Knight (Hollow Knight), The Knight & Quirrel (Hollow Knight)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 83





	1. Lost

**Author's Note:**

> This is a re-write of one of my older works. Hopefully I'll like it more this time around!

The White Palace was a nightmare to navigate. The asymmetrical vessel followed the tall vessel as they tried to escape while most of the king's assistants were asleep, though it was proving difficult. The stocky vessel trembled in fear of being discovered, and the vessel with curled horns put their tiny hand on their shoulder, trying to comfort them. They reached an intersection and the tall vessel peered around the corner, and after seeing their path was empty, waved the other three vessels forward. The four of them knew they would be deemed as failures in the eyes of the Pale King, but that only spurred their desire for freedom. 

They crept through the halls, the only sound being the light tapping of their feet against polished stone. Speed was more valuable than stealth in the longer, coverless corridors, and the noise they made was minimal. 

Another crossways. The tall vessel glanced down both paths, and decided to lead them to the left. About to follow, the asymmetrical vessel happened to glance up and, seeing the wingmoulds flying overhead, panicked and tugged at their sibling's cloak. When the taller vessel turned, confused, they needed only to glance up at where their sibling was pointing to understand the danger. 

The four vessels quickly turned around and scurried back the way they had come, hoping that they weren't seen. Unfortunately, their luck ran out as they turned another corner and almost collided with a lithe figure in white. 

"So the King was right," Fierce Dryya growled, "Some of them did escape. Hegemol," she turned to the hulking figure behind her, "Find the others. Have them search the palace; there might be more of them. I'll take these four back to the King." 

As Hegemol hurried away, the tall vessel glanced back at their siblings and made a sweeping gesture with their arm. Although the vessels had no voice, the message was clear: get out of here. The tall vessel then leapt at Dryya with unexpected ferocity, catching the knight off guard and sending them both crashing to the ground. The vessel with curled horns grabbed the stocky vessel's hand and rushed away, taking advantage of the distraction to escape. The asymmetrical vessel was less willing to abandon their sibling and only ran off in a different direction after seeing one last pleading look from the doomed vessel. 

They had no plan for escape, only that they needed to keep moving. Bright hallways led to more bright hallways, almost identical to the previous ones. At one point, the asymmetrical vessel spied a doorway just on time to duck out of sight of some kingsmoulds and found themselves in a storage closet of some sort. They lifted a cracked nail onto their back so they could defend themself if needed, and took an odd winged talisman that almost seemed to glow. It wasn't the best time for curiosity, but the winged amulet was too interesting to ignore. They could always examine it closer when they escaped. _If_ they escaped. 

After a few minutes, they chanced a glance out into the hallway. It was thankfully empty, and the asymmetrical vessel scampered out, almost tripping from the weight of their stolen weapon on their back. They began hurrying through the halls once more, hoping there was an exit nearby. 

"Oho! You must be one of the lost vessels I heard about." 

The asymmetrical vessel spun around, panic surging through their mind. The knight Ogrim waved cheerily as he jogged toward the vessel. 

_If he sees I'm scared, I'm going to die,_ the vessel thought, willing themself to seem emotionless, _No mind to think, no mind to think, no mind to think..._

"You were awfully tricky to find," Ogrim commented, "Do you happen to know where the others are?" 

The vessel shook their head, trying not to let their sadness at that fact show. 

"Hm," Ogrim pondered, "I'm not sure I can waste time taking you back if the other vessels aren't found. I don't suppose you know your way around here?" 

Another denial. 

"Very well then," Ogrim declared, "You'll just have to come with me while we search!" 

_No no no! I have to get out! Don't take me!_ They barely managed to stop themself from struggling out of the knight's grip, remembering just in time that they shouldn't show emotions. _No mind to think, no mind to think..._

The jovial knight gently lifted the vessel and adjusted his claw to form a kind of seat. Unwillingly, the vessel clung to Ogrim's arm as he strode through the palace. They secretly hoped that they would find their siblings, if only to reassure themself that they were fine. 

"So, Lost one," Ogrim began, "Are you okay with me calling you that? I don't know your name, after all." 

The vessel did not have a name, but having a name of their own sounded amazing. They nodded, happy to accept 'Lost one' as their label. 

"Very well. I don't know much about your kind. Is there a reason why you don't speak?" 

The answer came to Lost's mind immediately: _No voice to cry suffering._ Of course, it wasn't like they could tell that to Ogrim, so they simply nodded.

"I'm not sure why I'm asking, since you don't seem inclined to respond," Ogrim sighed lightly, "But that does not matter! I've been told that I am loud enough for two people, and there is some truth to that!" He laughed boisterously. If Lost was capable, they probably would have laughed along with him. 

Ogrim chatted aimlessly as they searched the palace for the other vessels. Occasionally, Lost would hear something and tap the knight's shell, pointing him in the direction of the sound. Lost didn't mind assisting in the search; the knight seemed kind and merciful. Maybe he would let Lost and their siblings go once they found each other. Eventually, they heard voices ahead, and Ogrim seemed to recognize them. Lost pushed themself out of the knight's hold, ready to flee at a moment's notice if things went wrong. 

"Isma!" Ogrim called, hurrying to the source of the noise, "Have you found the-" 

His question was cut short as he beheld the scene before him. Dryya was wiping her blade clean, standing over the stocky vessel, who was facedown on the floor surrounded by a growing pool of black liquid. Isma held the vessel with curled horns against the wall with her vines, almost crushing them to prevent them from escaping. 

"Ah, Ogrim," Isma said, "Have you had any luck finding the last of them?" 

"I- Why-" Ogrim stammered, aghast, "What are you doing?" 

"The King gave us our orders," Dryya explained, "If we couldn't persuade the vessels to turn themselves in, we were free to use lethal force." 

"But why?" Ogrim asked, "Surely there's a better option?" 

"Oh, I wish there was," Isma lamented, "But we must obey the King. You of all people should know that well." 

Lost didn't stay to hear Ogrim's response. They ran through the halls, black ichor flowing freely from their eyes like tears. After a minute, they slowed, wiped their eyes on the hem of their cloak, and let out a soundless sigh. Trodding forward, they began to see a light ahead, even brighter than the lanterns in the palace. Following the light, Lost came to an immense room with a large doorway on the other side. They had found their way out of the palace at last. Even so, with their siblings dead, it didn't feel like a victory. 


	2. Chapter 2

Lost clambered out of the Ancient Basin, trying to put as much distance between them and the White Palace as possible. While they weren't sure where they should go, they figured that climbing would be their best bet. The rocks weren't always stable, so the climb was difficult. Not helping matters were the lesser bugs that crawled mindlessly across the rocks. They didn't seem to be at all aware of their surroundings, and Lost had to knock them away with their stolen nail several times to avoid a collision. 

As they pulled themselves up onto another ledge so they could catch their breath, they noticed something interesting. There was a half-built black building that seemed to be hanging from a sideways pole. Lost walked up to it, curious. They peered through the windows, wondering what was inside, and was confused to only see benches. What was the point of that? 

Deciding not to dwell on it, Lost continued upward. They made their way across a bridge and into an extremely tall room. There was a large cage in the center, and, having seen similar things in the Palace, Lost guessed that it was an elevator. They stepped inside, pulled the lever on the floor, and sat down to rest their feet. 

Finally having some time to relax, Lost pulled out the winged token they had pilfered. It emanated a soft glow that seemed to draw the vessel in. While it certainly was beautiful, Lost didn't think it was much more than a decoration. They felt the elevator slow, let out a silent sigh, and pinned the token to their cloak. 

Almost immediately, the charm began to glow brighter. Lost panicked, reaching to remove it, but it quickly dissolved into light. The residual glow seemed to be absorbed by the vessel, and Lost felt a change within themself. As the elevator came to a stop, Lost tried to figure out what had happened. They walked in circles a few times, not feeling any faster. They tried swinging their nail, but they hadn't gotten any stronger. Eventually they hopped a few times, and could feel something different there. They leaped into the air, and, almost instinctually, a pair of luminous wings unfurled from their back and propelled them upwards a second time. Lost was amazed; this would really help in getting away. 

They stepped out of the elevator and glanced around. It looked like they had arrived in a highly populated area, if the many houses were anything to go by. Water constantly dripped down from above muffling the sounds on the streets. It was oddly calming to listen to. 

Lost wandered through the city, trying to stay out of the way of the few people that were out and about. Water soaked into their cloak, chilling them, but they didn't mind it much. No one looked twice at the vessel, making them feel somewhat safe. They took their time to take in the sights of the city, marveling at the many spiraling towers and elegant fences. 

After a few minutes, Lost heard muffled voices coming from one of the houses they passed. Most of the words were unintelligible, but they sounded panicked. Curious, Lost stepped close to the door, wondering what was going on. More voices, then a loud grunt and a cry of pain. Something was very clearly going wrong inside, and Lost wondered if they should help. Although they were trying to avoid getting caught... But they could stop once to find out what was going on? They didn't know how to fight though. 

The decision was made for them a few moments later when they heard the sound of breaking glass. Two bugs tumbled out of the window, both somewhat injured. Lost took a few steps forward to see if they could help, but froze after seeing one of the bug's eyes. They were _orange_. Lost didn't know much, but that was very clearly unnatural and quite frightening.

The orange-eyed bug looked up and spotted the vessel. A bolt of terror shot through Lost as the creepy bug grabbed their weapon and charged at them. The bug with normal-looking eyes staggered to their feet and yelled at them to stop, but it was no use. 

Seeing no other option, Lost turned and ran, not confident that they could take on the other bug in a fight. They hurriedly glanced around, looking for a place they could hide, and spotted a large building with its doors open close by. It would do. Slipping on the wet stones, Lost scrambled to regain their footing and barely missed being hit by the orange-eyed bug's thrown lance. They briefly glanced up, seeing their pursuer rush to retrieve their weapon, and dashed onward. 

Throwing themself through the doorway, Lost quickly hopped to their feet and went to close the doors, only to realize that the doors were nonexistent. Their moment of confusion was just long enough for the orange-eyed bug to throw their lance directly at Lost's face. If they had a voice, Lost would have screamed, feeling the impact crack their mask and knock them backwards into a small pool of water. 

Terrified, Lost floundered in the water for a few moments before discovering that they could float rather easily. They calmed down for a moment before seeing their pursuer coming at them again. Frantically paddling backwards, Lost tried to swim away, but bumped into the back wall. They thought all hope was gone until they noticed a tiny gap between the wall and the water's surface. Letting themself sink below the water's surface, the vessel swam below the wall and surfaced to find themself in a small cavern. They waited a few moments, listening carefully, and eventually heard footsteps walking away. Relieved, Lost lifted themself out of the pool, shook out their cloak, and checked their wound. They had a diagonal fracture across their mask, going from their left eye to their smaller horn. Sighing, Lost decided to dwell on the damage later and looked around. 

The cave was not very large, and was only lit from a small crack in the wall on the other side. Lost examined the fracture, wondering if they could open it up further and see what was beyond it. They lifted their nail and struck the unstable wall, widening the hole just enough to slip through after a few swings. Climbing through, Lost took in the scenery on the other side. 

It was remarkably gray, especially compared to the deep blues of the city. Ash drifted down from on high, coating the cliffs in white dust. Lost wondered where it was coming from. They unfurled their glowing wings and leaped out onto the barren cliffs to continue on their journey. 


	3. Chapter 3

The Pale King sighed. Of _course_ some of the failed vessels escaped on the day he had an important meeting. He could easily order his knights to take care of the situation for him, but it was still incredibly frustrating. Going to a meeting frustrated was never a good idea. Unfortunately, this was the only time Monomon was available, and if he was late, he'd have to wait far too long for his next chance. He wondered when his poor luck would run out. 

To save time on his trip, he opened a doorway into the dream realm and stepped through. Space was never quite right inside the dream, so he could travel all the way from his palace to the Teacher's Archives in the Fog Canyon in only a short walk. The plentiful greenery and glimmering mist rising from the acidic lakes throughout the canyon was a stark contrast to the achromatic palace he lived in. The Teacher's Archive was a magnificent feat of construction, being built atop an acid lake. A green glow emanated from the windows, and a carving of Monomon's mask was placed above the entrance, making it clear who held authority there. 

Stepping through the doorway, the King made his way into Monomon's chambers. He found her at her desk, writing what he presumed to be another research paper. He coughed to alert her of his presence. She looked up from her work, and, seeing she had a visitor, stood and bowed to him. 

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty," Monomon said. 

"Good afternoon, Monomon," he replied, "You're looking as beautiful as ever." 

"Spare me the pleasantries," Monomon sighed, "I'd prefer to get straight to business. Your letter said you had a proposition for me?" 

"Yes, that is correct," the King said, "I believe I have a solution for our current issue with the Infection." 

"Is this about the vessels you wanted to make?" Monomon asked, "I've already told you that they were supposed to be a temporary fix at best." 

"No, though I may need your help to fix some problems of the vessel design," the King said, "You see, when I seal the Infection away, I will need an additional layer of protection to prevent it from leaking out. For this protection, I will need your assistance." 

"You need me to help you make it," Monomon groaned. 

"Actually, you will _be_ that protection," the King explained, "I would like you to become a Dreamer. By going into an eternal sleep, you would seal away the chosen vessel with your power and keep it safe. You would be vulnerable in the dream realm, but since I am the only being that can enter that world, you would be completely safe from any threats. You could even continue to watch over the physical world. I know you are the most intelligent bug in Hallownest, and I can think of no better person to help secure Hallownest's future than you." 

"You flatter me," Monomon said, "I suspect you've done this speech before." 

"I have, actually," the King admitted, "Do you know of Lurien the Watcher? He is a rather influential bug in the City, and he has already agreed to become one of the Dreamers. I hope you will join him." 

"I'll consider it," Monomon said, hesitantly, "But I'll need a good reason to accept your proposal. Are you sure this is the best solution? And if it is, what would happen if I refuse?" 

"This is the only solution we have," the King explained, "The Dreamers need to be powerful individuals such as yourself and Lurien, and there aren't many others I can turn to. If we do not seal it away, the Infection will continue to spread and will eventually reduce the entire population of Hallownest to their base instincts. Our kingdom will never grow or change, and all of the knowledge you have collected will be lost. Are you willing to risk that?" 

Monomon pondered the King's words. After a moment, she sighed, "...Very well. I will become one of your Dreamers, for the sake of Hallownest." 

"Excellent," the King said, "I will summon you when the time comes. " 

"Will you be taking your leave now?" 

"I shall. Thank you for your hospitality." 

Monomon bowed as the King left. The King may not have noticed, but their conversation had not been private. "Quirrel," the called, softly. 

A small yelp came from behind the back door, and her most trusted assistant poked his head around the corner, looking guilty. 

"How much did you hear?" she asked. 

"A-almost all of it," he answered, "I was just coming to report to you, and since the King was with you, it didn't seem like a good time. I didn't mean to overhear, but I was just so curious." 

"I don't blame you for your curiosity," Monomon comforted him, "I would have done the same if our positions had been reversed." 

"So you're not mad?" 

"How could I be? Curiosity is natural for a scholar such as yourself." 

"Oh, good." Quirrel fidgeted for a moment, unsure if he should say what was on his mind. Eventually, he could not take it any longer and burst out, "Madam, are you sure this plan is a good idea?" 

"No, not at all," Monomon answered, "However, it is the only plan we have. I'll continue to try to find a solution on my own time, but if I find nothing..." 

"...I understand, Madam," Quirrel murmured. 

"Don't worry," Monomon said, "I'm sure we'll find something." 

"But what if we don't?" Quirrel asked, shaking, "What if you have to..." 

"Calm down," Monomon gently insisted, "Now isn't the time to worry about that. But if that does happen, then I will need your help." 

"M-me? Why?" 

"Because I trust you. I've already had some ideas on how to improve on the King's plan, and you, my apprentice, are an essential part of them." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I headcannon that PK has some power over dreams, since he managed to transport the Whit Palace into the dream realm and use the Dreamers to seal the Black egg temple. Also, the Last Stag says that the King never rode the stagways, and he doesn't seem the type to walk everywhere.


	4. Chapter 4

Lost climbed down the ashen cliffs, looking for a safe place to rest. They were starting to become exhausted after their long trek and it was getting harder to put one foot in front of the other. Eventually, they made their way down to a wide expanse of rock and collapsed, breathing heavily. 

Staring up into the gloomy gray sky, Lost was amazed at how far they had climbed. The ash gently falling down from above was strangely beautiful, and quite relaxing to watch. They were lucky to be able to see it. 

After watching the ash drift down, they noticed something else falling. Many somethings, in fact. Lost lifted themself up, wondering what they could be. Most of the objects crashed into the rocky outcroppings, too high up for Lost to get a good look from their current position. As they stood, one of the objects slammed into the ground next to them. 

It was a corpse. 

Terrified but curious, Lost leaned in to take a closer look at the body. Before they could do so, they felt the ground crack beneath them. The rock below the corpse shattered, revealing acidic waters that the corpse plunged into. Seeing the acid eat away at the dead bug's shell and armor at an alarming speed, Lost dashed away from the widening crack and ran for safer terrain. Leaping up to the first higher ground they saw, they watched their resting place crumble away. Oh well. They'd just have to keep moving. 

The path forward was not difficult at first. Sharp spikes sometimes jutted out from the ground which were easy to jump over, and the only threats in sight were some small hopping insects that Lost could easily bat away with their nail. There were a few high ledges that would normally prove troublesome, but because of the wings Lost had acquired, they were no problem. 

After they cleared the second ledge, Lost felt the ground tremble. They startled, preparing to jump back up to the high ground, when the rumble stopped as quickly as it had begun. Relieved, they began walking again, only to feel that sudden, brief tremor once again. What was going on? Then they saw the cause: a giant, six-legged beast, leaping up and landing with such force it seemed to shake the ground. Lost backpedalled, hoping to avoid the creature, but they stumbled on the hem of their cloak, making their nail clatter against the rocks. The creature noticed the sound and turned, spotting the vessel, and began hopping toward them at an alarming speed. Lost turned and ran, but the creature was too fast to outrun, leaping onto their back and crushing them. It jumped once more, and Lost tried to stand only to be trampled again. It seemed determined to smash the vessel into the ground. When it leaped again, Lost rolled out of the way and scrambled to their feet, drawing their nail. They had no idea if they could manage to fight this thing, but it was the only option they had. 

They never had a chance to try, as both Lost and the creature were distracted by a loud battlecry. Another bug with a gray cloak and a red headband dashed forward with their nail at the ready and sliced cleanly through the creature with one mighty swing. Intimidated, Lost trembled and backed away as the newcomer turned their gaze to the vessel. 

"Don't be so scared, kid," the bug grunted, "I'm not going to hurt you." 

They weren't? Lost heaved a sigh of relief and dropped their weapon. 

"The hoppers have been getting more aggressive lately," the bug continued, "You're lucky I found you, or it would've crushed you to bits. What were you doing all the way in the edge of the kingdom, anyway?" 

Lost shook their head, pointing to their nonexistent mouth. 

"Can't speak, eh? Do you at least know how to sign?" 

They tilted their head, wondering what signing was. 

"Don't know that either? That's an unusual sight." The bug was silent for a few moments before sighing, "Well, you're certainly not going anywhere with wounds like that. How about I take you to my place so you can rest up for a bit?" 

Lost nodded vigorously. It would be nice to have some company that wasn't trying to kill them. 

"Alright then. The name's Oro, by the way. I'd ask for yours if you could tell me. I'll just call you 'kid' for now." 

Oro turned and began walking back the way he came. Lost tried to follow but immediately stumbled and fell. Glancing back, Oro asked if they were okay. Lost nodded, attempting to stand again, but failed, immediately proving themself wrong. 

"I guess I'l have to carry you." Oro sighed. He picked up the vessel and their dropped weapon, remarking, "Wow, you're a lot lighter than I expected." 

Oro carried them for a short while until they arrived at a half-built house. "I only arrived here recently, so I haven't had time to finish a home for myself," he explained, "It's serviceable enough for now. You can stay with me until you get healed up, okay?" He looked down to see that the vessel had fallen asleep in his arms. He let out a soft chuckle and gently laid the vessel on the bench outside his home, which was so large in comparison that it looked like a bed for them. Trying to make them more comfortable, Oro grabbed a thick tarp he had been using as a makeshift wall and placed it over Lost like a blanket.

"Damn." he whispered, "Oro, you oaf, you came out here to be alone, and now look what you've done. You can't master the nail arts while looking after some kid." He sighed, "Well, it's not like they're going to be staying for long." Drawing his nail, he stepped out to his practice yard, taking one last glance at the child before returning to his training. 


	5. Chapter 5

The King's plan was falling apart. It had been nearly a month since his meeting with Monomon, and he had yet to secure a third bug willing to become a Dreamer. The minor nobles in the City of Tears would be more than willing, but none of them were powerful enough to become a seal. He had spoken to Hive Queen Vespa and the Mantis Lords, but they had all selfishly refused his offer. 

"Is there no one else you can turn to?" the White Lady asked him, "Surely one of the knights would be willing to do the job." 

"Their job is to protect the kingdom from physical threats, my dear," the King reminded her, "All of them are far more useful to the kingdom awake than dreaming." 

"Well, could the seal still work with only Lurien and Monomon?" the White Lady asked. 

"It could, but it would be far less effective," the King explained, "The more seals we have, the better." 

"Surely there's _someone_ you haven't asked," the White Lady said. 

"Is there?" the King sighed. 

The White Lady pondered this for a moment. "Actually," she said, "Yes, there is." 

"Ridiculous," the King scoffed, "Who could I possibly have-" 

"Herrah." 

"Oh no," the King groaned, "You know we aren't on good terms with Deepnest." 

"We also aren't exactly friendly with the Hive and the Mantises, and you still went to them." 

"Yes, I did, but we can actually negotiate with them. Deepnest isn't exactly known for its diplomacy." 

"Wyrm, what do you always say?" 

The King sighed and mumbled, " _No cost too great._ " 

"There we go," the White Lady smiled, "Now go show Herrah how good you can be." 

Reluctantly opening a gate into the dream realm, the King stepped through the mist and into Deepnest. He shuddered, the skittering sounds in the shadows making him nervous. It irritated him; he was a god for wyrm's sake! He shouldn't be scared by something as small as noises in the dark. Even so... 

He gathered his courage and entered the Distant Village. He could tell that he was being watched, likely by the Weavers of Herrah's tribe, but all he could see was darkness. "Herrah!" the King called, "I desire to speak with you!" 

His words echoed through the chamber for several moments. Silence followed, but was shortly broken by clipped laughter. "And what could a King of a breaking kingdom possibly want with an old spider?" 

"Our discussion would best happen in private," the King called. 

"Very well," Herrah said, slinking out of the shadows, "Come with me. I will ensure we are uninterrupted." 

The King followed Herrah, trying his best not to be intimidated by her immense size. She led him through her den and into her private chambers, settling herself on her perch. "Now," she said, "What do you want?" 

"I'll keep this brief," the King explained, "You are aware of the infection currently plaguing our kingdom?" 

"You think me oblivious to the rest of this land?" Herrah hissed, "Of course I'm aware of it." 

"Apologies, I meant no offense," the King corrected himself, "I have developed a solution to the problem. When I seal the infection away, I will need guardians for the gate between dreams and reality. By becoming one of my Dreamers, you would be able to protect Hallownest for generations to come. I know of your strength, both physical and mental, and I can think of no better person to protect our kingdom's future." 

Herrah was silent. The King had no doubt that she would refuse. 

"I will take your offer, if you do something for me in return." 

Hiding his shock, the King quickly collected himself and cleared his throat, "Very well. Name your price." 

"You are aware that my mate perished long ago," Herrah said, "Because of this, I have no heir, and I have been growing old. Someone must take my place when I pass, or when I become a Dreamer as you suggest." 

"Are you asking me to take over Deepnest?" the King asked. 

"Not at all," Herrah clarified, "I wish for my heir to be your child as well." 

"Excuse me?" 

"You heard me. Do not mistake me, I hold no affection for you. However, I realize that Deepnest can no longer afford to be separated from the rest of Hallownest, and having an heir of both kingdoms will be beneficial for diplomacy." 

"I see." 

"So, do you accept my offer?" 

The King thought for a minute before sighing, "I do. It's not like I have another option. Should we do this now?" 

"I don't see why not," Herrah said. 

When he returned to the White Palace, the King would have a lot of explaining to do. 


	6. Chapter 6

Oro trudged back to his newly-finished house, the corpse of a large boofly slung over his shoulder. Hunting had been more difficult than usual, as many of the booflies in the area had something not quite right about them. Their blood had been an unnatural orange color that had a sickly-sweet smell, and Oro didn't want to risk eating it in case it was contaminated with some awful disease. It had taken him some time to find one without the sick-looking blood, so much that the air around the cliffs had cooled by the time he returned to his home, signifying the end of a day. As he entered the perimeter of his home, the kid, Lost, scurried over to him and attempted to give the much larger bug a hug. 

"Hey, kid," Oro sighed, "Sorry I was gone for so long. It look me a while to find something good." 

Lost hopped up and down excitedly, and reached into their cloak. They then presented a small handful of geo to the rather confused nailmaster. 

"What's that for?" Oro asked. 

Lost hastily retrieved the stone tablet Oro was using to teach them to write and scribbled, _train for geo_. 

Taking a moment to process this, Oro asked, "You still want me to train you?" 

The vessel nodded, as enthusiastic as their expressionless mask allowed them to look. 

The nailmaster glanced down at the geo Lost had deposited into his palm. He counted eighty pieces, which was far, far less than his usual fee. Still, they had likely tried their best to gather even this amount, and a trained nail was better than an untrained one. 

"Alright," Oro sighed, "I'll at least show you the basics." 

If Lost had a voice, they would be squealing with excitement. They took their nail from where it had been propped up beside the bench outside of their home and hurried to the training area. 

"Wait a moment," Oro called, "We're not going to the training grounds yet." 

Lost deflated somewhat. 

"Don't worry, we'll be getting to that soon," Oro said, "Before we start, you need to know how to sharpen your nail. The one you have isn't in the best condition, and maintaining your equipment is a vital skill. Come on, let's go inside." 

Their energy renewed, Lost trotted behind Oro and sat down on the floor of their home, nail in their lap. Oro passed them a whetstone and instructed them in how to sharpen their nail. Lost startled at the harsh noise the stone made, but quickly adjusted. After sharpening both edges, Oro passed them a hopper wing he used as a cloth and showed them how to clean it. The even strokes along the edge of their blade were surprisingly relaxing to Lost, and they quickly found themself in a rhythm. 

"Let me see what you've done," Oro said, leaning over Lost's shoulder, "Hm. Not bad for a beginner. The sharpening isn't completely even, but you did a good job cleaning it off. Come, let's head outside and start working on your form." 

Lost hefted the nail onto their back and trotted after the nailmaster, excited to finally have something to do. 

~~~

"That's enough," Oro commanded, "We can finish here for today." 

Lost dropped their nail, breathing heavily. Oro had made them practice for hours, instructing them on simple strikes and parries. It was a lot more complicated than Lost had thought, but it felt empowering to know even just the basics of fighting. If the King's knights found them, they would soon be able to defend themself properly. 

"You've been quite enthusiastic about this," Oro observed, "It's not my place to pry, but I can't help but wonder why someone so young was out here all on their own searching for combat training. Wielding that nail seems to come naturally to you, which only adds to your strangeness." 

Glancing up at Oro, Lost debated whether to tell him of their true nature. Oro seemed trustworthy, but perhaps he simply wasn't aware of what vessels looked like. They weren't exactly common, after all. Even so, the King had probably ordered everyone to capture anyone identified as a vessel, and Lost never wanted to go back to that dreaded palace. Kingdom's Edge was far removed from civilization, however, so it was possible that Oro had not heard of any such declaration. 

Unsure how to answer, Lost simply looked up at their teacher and shook their head. 

"I get it," Oro sighed, "I wouldn't want people looking into my private life either. Though I would like to know how you got that scar."

Lost self-consciously rubbed the crack running along their forehead; it didn't hurt anymore, but it would likely be a permanent feature of their face. 

"That story can come later, though, once you can write better," Oro said, "How about we head back and get some rest? I've never seen you eat, but I could certainly use a good meal." 

Lost thought that sounded like a wonderful idea. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while, I've been really busy lately, and this just didn't want to get written. Out of curiosity, does anyone want me to start writing my thoughts on each chapter?


End file.
